The Gulf South: An Anthology of Environmental Writing

by Tori Bush (Editor), Richard Goodman (Editor)

The first collection of environmental writing about the Gulf South region, this volume features a diverse array of voices from the past 100 years. The work of these writers and artists enriches how we understand and represent the relationship between people and the rapidly changing ecology of the Gulf. Reaching from Texas to Florida, this anthology presents pieces from a variety of genres, from journalism to poetry to memoir to a graphic nonfiction book. It comprises renowned authors such as Natasha Trethewey, Jesmyn Ward, and E. O. Wilson alongside lesser-known writers and emerging writers. The subjects include natural and human-made disasters, the impact of industry, influential historical events, personal encounters with the environment, and a deep love for the land and water by the people who live there. Reflecting a range of different landscapes and their inhabitants, and emphasizing the human voice and condition throughout, The Gulf South brings to light a region whose influence on American commerce and culture reaches far beyond its geographical boundaries. This volume encourages readers to consider how we choose to characterize the environment and its degradation through language, and how these accounts affect our thinking and planning for the future. E. L. Corthell | Catherine Cole | Lafcadio Hearn | John Muir | Jovita González | Zora Neale Hurston | William Faulkner | Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings | Marjory Stoneman Douglas | Theodore Rosengarten | Eastern Creek Indians | Joy Harjo | John McPhee | Eddy Harris | Robert Bullard | John Barry | Susan Orlean | Roger Emile Stouff | Mike Tidwell | Steve Lerner | Diane Wilson | Michael Grunwald | Cynthia Barnett | Oliver Houck | Bob Marshall | Josh Neufeld | Natasha Trethewey | Jesmyn Ward | David Gessner | Moira Crone | Kate Galbraith and Asher Price | Peggy Frankland | Richard Mizelle | Bob Marshall | Antonia Juhasz | Arlie Hochschild | Neena Satija | Edward Wilson | Justin Nobel | Jack Davis

408 pages, Hardcover

Published March 2, 2021

Reviews

[Jana Giles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this excellent literary anthology for anyone interested in the relationship between people and ecology in the American Gulf South from Texas to Florida.

“From lyrical descriptions of ecosystems still largely whole to disturbing accounts of political and corporate malfeasance, this collection provides a panoramic picture of where we are today and how we got here. The inclusion of many voices and perspectives from across the political and demographic spectrum emphasizes how our planetary future depends on a collective vision and communal action.”—Jana M. Giles, University of Louisiana at Monroe

[Thomasm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent selection of essays and excerpts from fiction and non fiction, spanning about 150 years. I live on the gulf coast and knew a bit of the content, but this book really educates one about the beauty of this region and the risk it is under.